This Week in Watches: January 26, 2017

The watch industry is awash with too much news to cover. Each week, we’ll break down everything worth knowing. This week: the best of SIHH, an everyman’s vintage watch auction, the surprising savior of the Swiss watch industry and more.

The Very Best of SIHH 2017

Every January, some a couple dozen of the most superlative watchmakers in the world (most owned by Richemont) show off their equally superlative watches. SIHH, the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie is home to the most insane watches we’ll see all year, even if some brands are (sort of) embracing the entry-level. But between the complex astronomy watches, mechanical pornography and 50-year warranties, who came out on top? Check out our list of highlights to find out.

A Watch Auction for the Rest of Us?

Auction house Auctionata will have its “Watches for Everyone” sale this Friday. The diverse selection of vintage timepieces ranges from Seiko to Lemania to Omega to Rolex to Patek and basically everything in between, with starting bids ranging from approximately $215 to $21,500. So there should be watches to suit all tastes and some budgets. Though it’s a live auction, Auctionata allows you to bid from the comfort of your computer or mobile device, so if you’ve been in the market for a well-vetted vintage watch, you could cop a solid deal without much effort (or pants).

An Ironic Savior for the Swiss

According to The New York Times, Japan is currently one of the healthiest markets for Swiss watches. The nation has overtaken China as the third biggest market in the world and is more resilient than the two other top markets — Hong Kong and the US — amid 2016’s slide in sales. Exports to Hong Kong and the US fell by 25.9 percent and 10.6 percent, respectively, while Japan only fell 3.9 percent; ironic, as the Times notes, considering Japanese quartz watches nearly killed the Swiss mechanical watch industry decades ago.

How to Store Your Precious Watches

Worn & Wound has a comprehensive guide for getting obsessive about watch storage. Like, really obsessive. Though that doesn’t seem like a bad idea if you think you’re sitting on a future classic. Admittedly, we never would’ve thought of using silica gel beads.

Plucked Right Out of the 1960s

And finally, a non-SIHH release: Longines’ Flagship Heritage, a special edition honoring its stalwart mid-century dress watch. It just may be a perfect representation of the look for 2017.